Gov. Jay Inslee extended his wide-ranging restrictions on indoor dining, gatherings and other activities to Jan. 4, citing alarming Covid-19 infection rates and the fast-dwindling supply of ICU beds in the state’s hospitals. 

The restrictions were imposed in November and were supposed to end Dec. 12.

“This is an extremely alarming situation,” he said during a Dec. 8 press conference. 

The governor also announced a new $50 million round of unrestricted grants to support small businesses most affected by the shutdown order, including restaurants, music venues and gyms. Applications are due by Dec. 11, with funds set for distribution by the end of the month. Click here for more information and how to apply. 

Grant amounts depend on the number of businesses who apply, said Lisa Brown, director of the state Department of Commerce, which manages the Working Washington grant program. 

The governor also announced the state will pay unemployment benefits to about 100,000 Washington households that will be affected by the Dec. 26 end of Covid-specific federal benefits barring an extension from Congress. He declined to name the amount that will be paid but said it will be generous. 

“We will not allow people to fall off that cliff in the state of Washington,” he said. 

The governor said the shutdown order could be lifted early if hospitalization and infection trends improve more than expected.  

His move is a bitter disappointment to Tri-City elected officials and restaurateurs, who released a video on Dec. 7 imploring the governor to allow restaurants to reopen, saying they could do so safely. The video featured elected officials from Benton and Franklin counties as well as area cities. 

Together, they said the community has embraced safety precautions and restaurants must reopen or face certain closure. 

A survey by the National Restaurant Association reported that 110,000 restaurants had closed across the nation by October, 10,000 more than a similar survey in September, according to a report from Bloomberg.  

But Inslee was resolute, saying the science is clear: Sitting unmasked at a table in a restaurant is a recipe to share the virus. 

Unlike other activities, restaurants cannot mitigate the nature of dining together, talking in close quarters, unmasked, for lengthy periods of time.  

“Beyond a reasonable doubt, infections take place in restaurants,” he said. 

The governor alternately painted a rosy picture about the economic recovery he expects when vaccines take effect and the gloomy days ahead.  

“We face dark months before we celebrate the light,” he said. 

Inslee said he is optimistic the economy will recover swiftly once vaccines roll out. But there are more hard days ahead. 

The shutdown, he said, aims to prevent the specter of more patients “losing their lives on gurneys in halls.” 

The governor said alarming hospitalization rates contributed to the unpopular move to extend the shutdown, which limits inside dining, restricts the size of gatherings and other measures. 

There were nearly 1,100 Covid patients in ICUs (Intensive Care Unit) across Washington on Dec. 7, representing 80% of available beds. Soaring infection rates could push that past 100% by the month’s end. 

That affects not only Covid patients, but anyone who needs intensive care services.  

“Even if you’re not a Covid-19 patient, this can affect your treatment,” he said.  

Inslee offered sharp words to businesses that operate illegally.  

Most business owners are complying, he said. It is not fair to them that others are not following the law. 

“You should have to answer to your fellow businesspeople that you are jeopardizing,” he said. 

To date, the state has supplied $120 million in rental assistance, $69 million in food assistance, $15 million in energy assistance, $164 million in child care assistance and $510 million to local governments. The state has distributed $12.6 billion in state and federal unemployment benefits as well.